The two-day old (on the day of our visit) cake studio used to operate as an online business which caters for weddings, birthdays and other events. The variety served that day included cakes, tarts and complimentary cookies. Tea is the only beverage here, and there are several to choose from; all of which are by Clipper Tea.There’s two types of cheesecake available here; a creamier one similar to New York Cheesecake as well as a Tofu Cheesecake ($4.90). We went for the latter which has an incredible “q”- texture which we found interesting. The base was crispy and crumbly without being too moist, and its sweetness went well with the lightness of the smooth tofu cheesecake. A really less sinful option to go for if you are in for a lighter but equally satisfying dessert.As the owner described, the Congo Bars ($3.90) are Brownies done the opposite way, which is also known as “Blondies”. They essentially contained more vanilla to chocolate, and they are just crusty like any Brownie. We loved the version here; the Blondie was not fluffy like a cake but was crumbly though smooth at the same time. While Brownies can feel incredibly heavy and heaty over time, these Blondies are less sickening over time due to it being done inversely.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/abite-owen-road/

Opened with the first phase of renovations for Suntec City within the Fountain of Wealth zone, it is one of the few new tenants of Suntec City, which is also the newest outlet of Bibigo. It would not be Korean enough if a meal at a Korean restaurant does not consist of Tteobokki ($7.00++), which is why we settled for one. The spicy sauce was part sweet, part spicy; a sauce with an intense taste and was thick, while the rice cake were chewy and springy. The vegetables gave the spiciness a break, which was refreshing as well.Chicken Kimchi Fried Rice ($11.00++) came in a stone pot and also with a complimentary soup. Bits of pickles vegetables can be tasted, which were also spicy and added a Kimchi flavour to the spicy rice. A good amount of Chicken chunks were also included; all of them tender and lightly marinated in spicy sauce as well. Charred bits of rice could be found for the extra crunch and flavour, while the egg yolk was runny.For dessert, we had the Potato Mattang ($6.00++), which was fried Sweet Potato sticks coated in caramel served with candied walnuts and rice crackers. The sweet potato sticks were similar to Taiwanese Sweet Potato fries but with the batter of french fries, which gave it a sweet-salty combination from the caramel coated on the top. Rice crackers were plain but became sweet with the caramel while the candied walnuts tasted much like popcorn. A dish we would call unique, though does not fit everyone’s tastebuds.The Hoddeok ($6.00++) was the one that most should be able to accept; a sweet pancake with a dash of cinnamon and caramel with an ice-cream on top, this is the dessert that would appeal to sweet tooths. The pancake seemed similar to the rice cakes, being chewy but significantly less stiff, which was a great combination to caramel. The ice-cream was a vanilla ice-cream that was somewhat sorbet-ish but seemingly quite icy; not exactly what I would prefer.A variety of drinks are available, ranging from tea, coffee and alcohol. They use teabags for their Iced Oolong Tea ($4.00++) here, which is a great deal for chilled drinks as the melting of the ice cubes just acts as some sort of a “refill” for your tea.

For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/bibigo-hot-stone-suntec-city-mall/

Being part of the Arteastiq group, Hong Shi Yi Food Artistry which is situated beside Art Gallery 798 is also one of the more affordable Chinese restaurants in Millenia Walk.While there were many items offered in the dim sum menu, nearly half of it were not available for dinner as their last orders are at 2pm. The Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($7.90++) is however available throughout the day. The Bao was filled with savoury broth that bursts with each bite, and the skin was of the right thickness as it was easy to bite through. The meat filling was also generous as well. This should satisfy XLB lovers who are picky on their XLB.Steamed Custard and Salted Egg Yolk Bun ($4.90++) came in an unconventional form, featuring a black bun containing sesame than the usual white one. Honestly, the black bun is no different in taste than the usual, and we thought it could have been less thick as quite a huge bite needs to be taken to reach the custard. We would also loved it more if the custard was more flowy, but the filling was great as it was thick, being slightly more salty than sweet with more salted egg content.Crispy Red Bean Pancake ($6.90++) was part of the dessert menu. The pastry replicated much of a Chinese Onion Pancake with a subtly sweet red bean filling that was generously filled within.Since there were a lack of dimsum, we also went for mains to share. The Fried Rice with Shrimp, Preserved Vegetables and Egg ($14.90++) was superb with its moistness and the perfect blend in taste where there was a balance in all flavours which gave the dish its subtle fragrance. Prawns were pretty fresh as well.Intended to be a side for the rice, the Honey Glazed Yam Cube ($11.90++) was a savoury-sweet dish. The heavy flavours of the sweet and sticky honey somehow did not overshadow the yam, which was something we liked about it. We could not stop ourselves from getting back to dish over and over again as it was just addictive, and even the vegetable that was laid on the plate tasted great with the honey sauce as well.Another dessert we ordered was the Chilled Glutinous Rice with Ice-Cream ($4.90++). Unlike the conventional way, this dessert is served cold in the bowl and therefore the ice-cream takes longer to start melting. Interesting to note was the Chocolate Pocky Stick that was stuck into the the dessert, which not only looked odd and did nothing much to the taste of the dessert too. The Glutionous Rice is served unsweetened, so one should mix in the ice-cream before having it for the subtle sweetness with a hint of vanilla atop the Glutinous Rice. Definitely a hit for Pulot Hitam lovers.Since it is a concept by Arteastiq, we had high expectations for our tea. The Jasmine Tea ($2.50++) we had was rather different as it turned out with a rather refreshing taste that seemed clear without a heavy aftertaste nor body. A tea that is great to have in between heavy tasting dishes.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/hong-shi-yi-food-artistry-millenia-walk/

Siglap has not really seen much cafes opening ever since the Third Wave Coffee Movement came, so it was rather pleasant to see one that had just recently opened with the construction of Siglap V complete.It was their soft opening phase, so coffee is on tip basis (yes, you pay them what you think their coffee is worth) and there is no food available. They use blends by Dutch Colony Coffee which they are affiliated with, which had a slight acidity with a chocolate ending for a sweet finish. The Flat White (usual price: $4.50) was also creamy and milky, with quite decent latte art too. Pity the body was a little weak though.Given the location of Craftsmen Specialty Coffee, I guess I would not be back regularly given its two hours off from where I stay. However, this is a great spot for Siglap residents to grab their daily cuppa or to spend some time at. The coffee’s been great, and with cooked food such as sandwiches and quiches in the pipeline, I am looking forward to what Craftsmen Specialty Coffee would become in the future.

For the full review and more photos, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/craftsmen-specialty-coffee-siglap-v/

Being the latest of the lot to open in Biopolis, it is also one with the most hipster vibe; industrial designs and even an iPod on top of speakers. This is pretty unusual as cafes in this district usually carries a more mature and classy vibe to attract the office crowds. Even though running in its test kitchen state, the menu generally has quite a variety that spreads from brunch to dinner. A pity sides like Truffle Fries are not available in the afternoon though …Having stayed away from brunch items for quite some time, I went for the only one on the menu; Eggs on Toast ($9.00) with an additional side of Smoked Salmon (+$5.00). This comes with an option of eggs coming in scrambled, overeasy or sunny (no poached though) and sourdough or ciabatta, and sides such as mesculun salad and bacon. We opted for scrambled eggs, and it was creamy and runny with a hint of pepper sprinkled above it. The strips of bacon were slightly stiff and hard to chew, and it reminded us of bak kwa a fair bit. The ciabatta toast were smothered with unsalted butter, and works rather well with a dab of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, though could work better toasted. The mesculun salad was interesting; while it tasted similar to Vinegarette dressing initially, it turns slightly sweeter after each time and catches on our tastebuds after time.On the contrary, the Cod Fish & Chips ($18.00) were slightly disappointing. Small granules of salt can be seen all over the fries and surprisingly, the fried fish and that seemed to be the only item flavouring the dish. Fries were great; crispy and fluffy with enough salt. The problem came from the cod fillet used; rubbery, stiff and bland. Kudos to the coleslaw however, fresh and cold just the way I preferred.Three types of coffee are served here; Black (Long Black), White (Flat White) and Chocolate-based (Mocha). They use blends from Yahava Koffeeworks, which ensured that earthiness coupling with the creaminess in the White ($4.50). We were also glad that someone finally bothered to serve us a latte art that was something apart from the Tulip, Heart and Rosetta that we were getting one time too many.

Being in its test kitchen phase, there are bound for things to be improved on in their food, which can be further polished. We were quite glad that the service was prompt, and the owner was rather apologetic about the Cod Fish & Chips when feedback upon. They did offer to waive it off the bill or replace it with another item but we were feeling so bad about it so we insisted to pay for it; another great service recovery. With such positive attitude and the willingness to improve, Curbside Coffee & Wine Bar is somewhere we would see shining in the future!

For the full review and more photos, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/curbside-cafe-wine-bar-nucleos-biopolis/